TEHRAN -- The 19th edition of the Mehr-e Moharram International Photography Exhibition opened on Saturday at the Komesh Cultural and Artistic Complex in Semnan, bringing together photographic works exploring the rituals, emotions and collective memory of Muharram and Safar.
The exhibition presents 50 selected works, including 10 photographs from the provincial special section, 24 national entries, 12 international photographs and four photographic collections.
This year’s international competition attracted submissions from photographers in Iran, Iraq, Bahrain and the United Kingdom, while the festival received a total of 5,294 entries from 33 Iranian provinces and 12 countries worldwide. A jury selected the works featured in the exhibition.
The photographs explore a range of themes associated with Shi’a religious culture, including mourning ceremonies during Muharram and Safar, the Arbaeen pilgrimage, intimate domestic religious gatherings known as Rowzeh-khani, and the ideals of Husayni resistance and remembrance.
Running from 7 to 11 November 2026 (16–20 Aban 1405), the exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to encounter Ashura traditions through the perspectives of photographers working across different cultural contexts. It is open daily from 4 pm to 8 pm, with the festival’s closing ceremony scheduled for 11 November.
Founded in Semnan by the non-governmental cultural organization Moj-e Farhang, Mehr-e Moharram initially developed as a national event before expanding into an international festival. Now in its nineteenth edition, it is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance’s Centre for the Holy Qur’an and Ahl al-Bayt, the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization and several provincial and international institutions.
Beyond photography, the festival also promotes public participation in producing and sharing digital content inspired by Ashura, encouraging both professional creators and ordinary citizens to preserve and communicate the cultural and spiritual significance of these traditions.
Through the language of photography, Mehr-e Moharram continues to connect local religious heritage with a wider international audience, documenting a living tradition through contemporary visual storytelling.